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2013-01-31 - Splitting at the Seams: The Nocturnal Visitor
It was conflicting for Alex, and likely always will be the darker impulses of human-kind. He still has not decided what to do with the information gathered from Blob or who to trust. Sleep eludes, there is no comfort in his bed, and the space on his floor is empty of a white sleeping bag. Fantomex always seemed to know when it got too much and he could not sleep, before just being there. Then again, what were best friend's for? A soft, cool breeze comes in through the window to brush over Alex as he lays in bed. It is still on the chilly side as it is still winter, but then again, why is the window open to begin with?! It is when Alex finally looks toward the window, that he will see a white clad figure. Not any white clad figure however, but one with black geometric lines and a very feminine form. One black booted leg is in the window, while the other has the heel on the window seal. Her back is arched as her other black booted leg then slides in with her white gloved hands gripping beneath the window sill as she pulls herself inside and unbows her back to stand up after she is fully inside. She's certainly not short, likely reaching 6' with the slight heels on her boots. Her eyes are a light blue, and her gloved hands move upward as if they are going to reach out to you. Alex Summers looks over at the window to find Cluster there. He wonders at what point he fell asleep and began to dream. A small smile comes across his lips. "Cluster. You're..here?" He asks as he sits up. He looks around..he was still in his own room. That's never happened before. He wonders aloud. "Am I dreaming? Where's France?" Cluster steps forward and moves to cup Alex's face, the chill of her gloves felt from the cold outside rather than warmth, another chilling breeze comes in through the window. She smiles beneath her mask, her eyes reflecting the emotion and something...more. "Alex...something wonderful and frightening happened ma lumiere." The soft feminine voice is the same and perfectly French accented the same as Fantomex's (the accented part). She then moves to hug Alex if he still permits it, cool masked cheek pressed to his. "I never let myself dream of this before...," her voice breathless sounding. The curtains flutter at the window and the room will have to start fighting the chill in the air. Alex Summers is in bed. Therefore he is only clad in a pair of light sleeping pants and no shirt. And with the wind whipping around outside, he was beginning to get cold. He's still in a slight state of shock as Cluster hugs him. "T-this isn't a dream. Is it?" The voice sounds the same. She even feels real. Taking his hand, he pinches himself slightly as his eyes widen. He slides off the side of the bed, falling onto his back. "You're not real! You're from my dreams, how can you be real!?" He crawls to his door and flings it open. "Intruder Alert!" He screams. The white clad ninja with black geometric line designs on her sleeveless trenchcoat winces at Alex's yell. She then waves her black leather clad hands about, "Shhh, Alex," and as he continues to yell, "Alex!" She sounds shocked and surprised at the young man's violent, and really fearful reaction. "I'm real!" She goes to try and pull him back into the room finally, but she is about to get a Cajun surprise that she isn't likely going to enjoy. Alex Summers is scrambling on his back towards the open door. "It's not possible! There is no way you can be here!" He's got on no shirt and he's clad in his pajama pants. The window in his room is open and cold air is coming into the room. The look on his face is that of a man that has seen a ghost. "Somebody help me!" Someone's heard Havok's shouting, at the very least. The sound of running feet in the hallway is the first indication of this, even before that signature 'slssss' sound of bio-kinetics resolves itself. They're even-paced footfalls, relatively light for someone who is clearly sprinting. A second later, a figure skids to a stop in the open doorway of Alex's room. He's not shirtless. In fact, he's wearing his whole uniform, which may or may not just be pure happenstance. There's a bo-staff in one hand, and a trio of full-charged cards in the other. Gambit to the rescue. He takes about three seconds to analyze the situation, which is at least five seconds too few. "Y'all bes' be steppin' 'way from de Summers now, real slow-like." He tells the figure in the room that /isn't/ Alex, his voice a low threat. There is a very hurt expression on the woman's face at that moment, but then Gambit shows up. Her eyes narrow. Shit. Her powers won't work without her other's support as his resistance shields are way too high, even then, they aren't even sure when together if they are quite as effective as they are with the telepaths. She does not move at first, very, very, still. It is the same way Fantomex gets when he becomes very serious. But then, her eyes drop toward Alex and slowly unnarrow. Alex could get hurt, and so she does as she is told, moving her hands slowly to face palm out and slightly raised as she moves back toward the window. The wind blows again, a powerful rush this time before fading into something softer and calming. The men may or may not catch the scent of orchids, a perfume that the woman favors as she has no natural scent of her own. Alex Summers gives Gambit a look of relief as he rises to his feet slowly. "Thanks Remy." He says before turning back towards Cluster. "I'm sorry for freaking out. But this simply isn't possible. Are you Mystique? Shapeshifted to mess with me..or is this an attack by a mutant illusionist?" There were several scenarios going through his head as to why this couldn't be the girl he's been dreaming about. He says to Gambit. "I've been dreaming about this girl over the past month. And now she's standing in my room. This doesn't make sense to me.." "'Swhat I'm here for." Remy says to Alex, but he doesn't take his eyes off of the woman in the black and white uniform. Neither does the charge on his cards dissipate. To her, he says, "Now, I got me a real itchy trigger finger, an' it'd be a shame 'f you spooked me an' I 'ccidently blew you so far out dat window ya'd need a parachute, hien? Real shame, so mebbe no sudden moves." His burning eyes go back to Havok as Alex starts to explain, but it doesn't make his expression ease any. "Or mebbe she been messin' wit' y'dreams. Eit'er way figure somebody's hacked into y'head, 'less you t'ink you jus' developed a new mutation. Mebbe de femme here'd be so good as to /'xplain/ herself." The invitation comes out more like an order, between half-clenched teeth. The woman's eyes narrow again, and she says nothing at first and seems like she will not. Her glaze is far from pleased as she looks at Remy, almost...angry. She is silent for about a minute, the unsound lingering as the cold gathers before she finally softens her gaze as she looks at Alex. "I apologize for frightening you," her tone soft and apologetic sounding. "I just wanted you to be the first one I saw." She does feel bad for frightening him, appearing a bit chagrined or perhaps guilty. "I /am/ Cluster. There was an accident, a mis-programming in the system E.V.A. activated. Remember, Jean-Phillipe did not know of me, so I was not taken in consideration." Her tone then turns pleading. "/Please/ Alex. I speak the truth. Jean-Phillipe dropped many clues to you, only to you. You are our meilleur ami." She sounds sincere, and she's resisting using her powers especially after the illusionist accusation. "I know Gambit, the slave train attack, and Lore with her beautiful wings, and X-23. Jean-Phillipe lied to you, have you figured it out yet? He did not set Laura up with Jean for sessions, he set her up with Emma. He did it because he thought it was the right thing to do, to get Laura back into the field as soon as possible where he believes she belongs." There is not an 'our' there. Alex Summers listens and the more he listens the more he is inclined to believe her. He places a hand to his head. "I..I don't know. Jean-Phillipe died. Only a few days ago. I'm still grieving for him! I was going to..." He pauses and clams up. He had every intention of making the Brotherhood pay for what they did. He had already begun by visiting Dukes in Ryker's earlier today. He had gotten the information. He knew who killed Fantomex and how the Brotherhood was so well organized. It was information that he was sitting on until he decided what to do with it. "He lied. I told him to set her up with Jean. I don't trust Emma." He looks at Gambit and motions for him to lower his cards. "If she's who I think she is. It's okay, Remy. I wish E.V.A. had contacted me with a warning, but..." He looks back at Cluster. "You became the dominant brain when Fantomex died, didn't you? That's how you're here now?" From the expression on Remy's face, he's clearly not happy with this. The woman can glare all the wants at him, he glares right back, jaw set and eyes flaring brightly. Still, he hears them both out, first Cluster's explanation, and then Alex's. He sighs a moment later, and the pink light surrounding his cards sputters out. They disappear a second later, but the Cajun chooses to keep the staff out. "Feel a lot better 'f we got one o'de shrinks t'give 'er de t'umbs up." He mutters, but it's mostly to himself. He isn't even going to pretend he knows everything that's been going on with Fantomex and the events surrounding his death. "Oh, non, non!" That would be embarrassing! "Je suis desole," her tone apologetic, "I told her not to tell. I desired to surprise you." She then sighs softly, "Can I put my hands down, vous fake Frenchman?" Which is comical, considering Weapon XIII was raised in Britain, if only the irony was known. But she moves them anyway, especially with the cards gone as she moves one to point to her head. "Telepathy does not work." Yep, just like Jean-Phillipe. "Laura will know I am the same as Jean-Phillipe, if you need proof. Shall we get this done so I can explain properly to Alex?" Alex Summers walks over to his dresser and retrieves a shirt to slip on. Especially if they were going to leave his bedroom. He also closes the window. "Now that I think about it, it would be easy for you to get past mansion security...because Fantomex knew the ins and outs of it." He nods. "I want confirmation. Laura would be able to tell with her senses if you are who you say you are. Though saying that you and Jean-Phillipe are the same? That's..really..really..uncomfortable for me. So..let's just say you're a twin sister or something, okay?" He pats Gambit on the shoulder and murmurs, "Come with us though? Just to be safe." He felt better having the cajun with him for this. "Ehhh, va te faire foutre, pimbeche." Remy says to Cluster, his French just as sloppy and heavily accented as his English. He doesn't flinch when she lowers her hands, however, even if he has been exceptionally rude to her just moments previously. In fact, he does shorten his staff, putting it back to the place it hangs on his belt. "You oughta be careful wit' Laura, 'dough, I seen her earlier t'day an' mebbe she coul' be handlin' Jean-Phillipe's deat' a l'il better." It's about as close as Gambit's going to get to a friendly warning, right now. He does seem to intend to tag along, third wheel or not. Cluster nods at Alex's words, appearing wounded, but at the same time understanding. "I just want you to believe me. I am here with good news," she ends so very softly. But she then lowers her hands completely and moves out into the hall, turning her back and leading the way if she is permitted. She knows her way around very well. She actually goes to check the cafeteria and kitchen area first for Laura. The sweet, but light smelling perfume of orchids should be immediately noticeable. There is also the scent of Alex and Gambit with lingering smoke on the latter. The issue is though, there is not a third scent coming from the female clad in white with black geometric line designs other than the perfume. Scentless...just like Jean-Phillipe. Alex Summers is still barefoot when he walks into the kitchen and seats himself like he always does. He takes a chair and turns it around backwards to straddle it. He drapes his elbows on the back and exhales slowly. "Cluster, don't take this personally. It's just that after the week I've had, I'm not taking any chances. You do admit that you showing up here suddenly, making the claim that you're making...I can't just take it all at face value?" Remy kind of always smells like lingering cigarette smoke; hazard of a chain-smoking addiction. One of many hazards. Once the little group that's comprised of Alex, Cluster and himself settles into the kitchen, Gambit does what comes naturally...which apparently means snagging himself a beer which may or may not belong to Logan, and to start to make some food. He might not even know what he's making yet, but it helps nerves. If Alex or Cluster want anything they're going to have to make their desires known sooner rather than later. There's an intake of breath as Laura comes in. Sees what is going on. That 'lack-of' presence that drives her batty. She whirls over as she comes in and faces off with Remy and Alex, and Cluster. Her first instinct is to pop her claws, which is then ameliorated by the lack of alarm being shown by Remy and Alex. So instead she just -stares-. Cluster turns though as she senses the spike in emotion behind her. She stares at Laura for a moment as Alex finishes speaking, only then does she speak in a soft, French accented voice, "Hello Laura. I am Cluster." A slight pause to let the girl absorb that information. "I know my presence is confusing, but I am not a threat." She very slowly steps forward in a non-threatening manner, her hands offered outward a bit, palms up toward Laura. If Laura permits this, she will still stop a yard away with black leather gloved hands extended. "It did not take us 23 times." And she smiles beneath the mask then as if finding it suddenly funny or at least mildly amusing. The comment is a reference to a conversation Laura and Fantomex had about why she was called X-23. "Though we had a peu d'accident. You recognize me as the same as Jean-Phillipe, oui?" There is something more gentle about her than Jean-Phillipe, but there is also an underlying predatory nature about her beneath the service just as it was with the Frenchman. Their accent sounds the same, but of course the voice different. Alex Summers rises from his chair long enough to get himself a beer. He sits back down and pops the top, taking a long drink. He watches the interaction between Cluster and Laura, hoping that Laura doesn't attack. He always feels bad when he has to shoot her. "Cluster's existence is..complicated, Laura. I don't know much about it myself, but I'm already familiar with her. Sort of. Laura, can you tell me if this woman reminds you in any way of Jean-Phillipe. It's important." Laura, of course, didn't see how Remy reacted a little bit ago, upstairs. She might be able to see--or smell--that he isn't as relaxed as he seems, especially as he keeps throwing glances over his shoulder at Cluster, but at the moment the Cajun seems willing to let it slide in lieu of frying something or the other on the stove. As proof that small miracles do, in fact, exist, he keeps his mouth shut at least long enough for Laura to answer. Laura can pick up Remy's alertness, and then from Alex. She inclines her head fractionally over at him and crosses her arms. "Understood. Is she a relative? A clone? A genetic construct or template? An alternate universal equivalent? Some sort of genetic avatar or gynoid equivalency then?" The guns of the girl stand out to her. And then, Cluster finally answers, "Clone, bien sur." (of course) "We both are now." We, there it is again. "But the brains were intact, so we have retained all our memories. We were very lucky." Again the we. "Though there is an issue," she sadly admits. She wants to reach out to Laura, but stops herself. She instead moves toward Alex, getting on her knees by his side as he is sitting down and moves to place her gloved hands upon his thigh closest to her. "He /needs/ you Alex. I am not there to help him anymore, I am separate. Being close to him, it helps, but it is not the same. You do not need to grieve anymore," her tone gentle. What is it with Jean-Phillipe and Cluster being so damn mysterious?! Hasn't anyone heard of saying it directly?! Alex Summers stares directly at Cluster. His blue eyes gaze into hers. "Cluster. Are you telling me that somehow..Jean Phillipe is still alive?" He stands up, knocking the chair behind him. "If that's the case why hasn't he contacted me? Why hasn't he let us know that he's not dead? Why has he put us all through this hell by making us believe he's gone forever?" He grabs Cluster by the shoulders firmly. A furious expression on his face. "You tell him that if this is some elaborate joke that he's pulling that I'm going to find him and kill him myself for making me feel this way." Gambit is definitely keeping his Cajun behind out of this particular screaming match. He just looks up as Alex starts to yell, holding his spatula as if he thinks he might have to throw it or break up a fight in a second. Whatever he's cooking sizzles. It smells like it might be corned beef hash. At this point, seeing Alex yell, Laura's hands goes up and over towards hsi shoulder, to try and grab and restrain him, "You are hurting her." Her voice is calm and collected. She understands that Alex is gravely upset. But she also can tell that /this is going to make things worse/ if she can manage to snap him out and grab him in a hard grip. Cluster appears confused right then, the emotions she senses in Alex seeming to whirl. "Alex," and then she his grabbed by the shoulders, and she doesn't even wince; she wouldn't dare with her training. "It is non ruse, non jest." She does not fight it, or resist, merely looking up at Alex with her confusion from her knees. "We only awakened early today in the chamber. We gave E.V.A. a surprise when I came out. It was difficult at first, as Jean-Phillipe and I figured out how to interact. He took it much better than I would have thought. But the..the things I warned you about. They are worse." Cluster seems to bump over the next words uncomfortably, "Are you not pleased that we came back to you?" It's the anger that confuses her most. "We have not even told...well, she never knew what happened," not saying the word 'Mother' here. She is a secret. "He is waiting, with E.V.A, for you to go to him. Will...you go? Will you save him ma lumiere?" That is the second time Cluster has called Alex 'ma lumiere'. But Laura is there, and she says softly, but firmly, "Non, I am fine mon chere. Merdi, for caring." No guilt for Alex, appears to be Cluster's goal. Poor Gambit, he will really need his comfort food. Alex Summers tenses when Laura touches his shoulder. The irony isn't lost on him as it's her who seems to be calming him down this time. Slowly, he releases Cluster and runs both hands over his face. "No, it's not that I'm not...I mean, I never thought I would see either of you again." Looking back at Laura, he nods to her to show that he's not upset. He looks back at Cluster. "I'll go. I'll go to him now. Let me go get dressed and I'll meet you out on the front lawn." He did know about Mother and he knew what Cluster meant about it being worse. There was no other choice for him. Looking over at Gambit and then back at Laura. He says to the cajun. "Tell Scott I'm cancelling my morning class. I'll explain it to him later." And then, he heads for the stairs. "D'accord." That's the only word Remy gets out before Alex is already out of the room. Then he's looking back to the food he was making, muttering to himself in a distinctly unimpressed tone, "Great. Now I got to 'xplain to Slim dat his brot'er's gone out all hellbent f'leat'er an' get a whole lotta pissed-off Cyclops to de face for it. Remy, Remy, Remy, how you keep on findin' y'self in dis kinda situation? I didn' even do any misbehavin' dis time." More's the pity. "Ooooh, bonne chance, Remy." As if Cluster just realized that as she rises to her feet. She then moves over to Laura, and if the girl permits will lean forward to kiss her cheek through her own mask. "Merci," she says once again, sincerely. "Jean-Phillipe, he says bonjour et insert flirtatious comment here. You are very cute," and she winks at Laura before she heads for the front lawn. When Alex heads out to join her, E.V.A. has arrived the door opening as Alex joins to find Jean-Phillipe soon leaning against the door jam, arms crossed. "So, either I was right and you freaked, or Cluster was right and she would get a extra, extra long hug." He sounds like he is smirking. Only a second later he says, "I was right." Laura glances over at Remy then, and turns her attention to Alex. She goes over to some of the cabinets, and pops some panels loose, digging around. And takes out some very old looking bottles of what might be moonshine from someone's personal and available stash, and then passes them over to Alex. "To last till explanation." Alex Summers comes back from his room fully dressed. He takes the bottles from Laura with a wink and offers Gambit a sympathetic look. Then he rushes outside only to skid to a stop when he sees Fantomex standing in the doorway of EVA. He rushes up the stairs and hugs him, lifting him up off the ground. "You bastard. Of course I freaked out. I thought she was a figment of my imagination or some trick by one of our enemies." He boards EVA then, setting the bottles in a seat. "I look forward to a full explanation from both of you." He looks between Cluster and Fantomex. Laura just glances over at Fantomex. Then at Lady Fantomex. Then at Alex. Then looks over at the two bottles she has. Pops a claw. Slashes the pair of corks out of each. Chugs one as much as she can even as she gags ove ron it. And then passes the other bottle over to Remy then, and having taken roughly half a pint of Logan's personal 'life is fuggin weird' stash. Fantomex actually laughs, "Told you Cluster." But he ends up, almost awkwardly, giving Alex a brief hug back which mostly involves beating on his back, before heading inside with him. Cluster rolls her eyes, but is soon inside E.V.A. as well. "It is not that long of a story, but let Jean-Phillipe tell it. It began as his story in either case," sounding only vaguely amused at putting Jean-Phillipe on the spot. Jean-Phillipe rolls his eyes, "I knew you wouldn't explain it properly." E.V.A.'s door seals up, and they soon take to the sky. Remy pauses in cooking long enough to look at the bottle that Laura has deposited next to him. He looks up at the young woman with an incredibly solemn expression. "Girl, you a /saint/." Is all he says.